7 Best Data Visualization Tools for Every Kind of User

As a business professional, you know that data is essential to making informed decisions. But what if you don’t have the time or resources to create visualizations that make your data pop? 

There are plenty of great data visualization tools out there that can help you get the job done. In this blog post, we’ll look at some of the best data visualization tools. 

We’ll also discuss how to use them effectively to produce great results. So whether you’re looking for a way to boost your productivity or just want to have some fun, these tools will help you get the job done.

Data Visualization Tools Explained

Manually turning your data sets into vivid, self-explanatory pictures is a task that can take days to complete. With data visualization software available on the internet, data visualization is faster.

A data visualization tool is a website, software, or application that simplifies the complicated, time-consuming process associated with illustrating data sets. These tools allow you to input data and may have visual templates that you can manipulate as you desire.

Data visualization applications break down the contents of humongous amounts of data into comprehensible graphics, which help their users and their teams make correct decisions, identify trends, notice problems, and visualize text.

Our Top Picks for the Best Data Visualization Tools

1. Overall best data visualization tool: Tableau
2. Best data visualization tool for beginners: Datawrapper
3. Best data visualization tool for Python: Plotly
4. Best free data visualization tool: Google Charts
5. Best data visualization tool for businesses: Microsoft Power BI
6. Best data visualization tool for social media: Dashthis
7. Best data visualization tool for content creators: Piktochart

Review of the Best Data Visualization Tools

Tableau 

Overall Best Data Visualization Tool 

Tableau is a data visualization software for data insights and can integrate different programming languages or software like R and Javascript. The software allows users to show bulky information in digestible designs via one or more data visualization techniques, such as graphs.

Tableau can operate on Windows and macOS. You can also use Tableau on mobile devices. Tableau also has another version known as Tableau Public which is free. 

Features

• It automatically updates insights on data visualizations.
• It offers solutions for various fields of study.
• It designs engaging dashboards quickly.
• Tableau works well with third-party extensions.
• Tableau Public provides some features of Tableau for free.
• Its prices is simple and easily accessible.
• You can store vast amounts of data on this data visualization tool.
• This software can integrate more than 250 applications.

Pro

• Tableau contains multiple customizable infographic templates.
• It can be operated online, on desktop, on the cloud, or on the server.
• This tool relieves users by automatically securing data.
• Allows import and export of any data such as CSV files, google, PDF files, and Microsoft.

Cons

• It is more expensive than most data visualization tools.
• Public Tableau does not keep data analyses private.
• The user interface may be too complex for new users.

Pricing

Tableau’s complete pricing includes two plans:

• Tableau online  
• Tableau Creator 

Each plan is divided into 5 tiers:

Tableau Creator – $70/mo

Tableau Explorer – $42/mo

Tableau Viewer- $15/mo

eLearning for Explorer – $5/mo

eLearning for Creator – $10/mo

Datawrapper 

Best Data Visualization Tool for Beginners

Datawrapper is best known for its basic illustration techniques; tables, maps, and charts. Their usual customers usually don’t have any coding skills.

Datawrapper is easily the most accessible data visualization tool. Its responsiveness and interaction encourage users to be creative with the available types of infographics.

Features

• It features 19 different interactive and responsive charts with 3 types of map.
• All data visualization embeds are private until you activate the publish capability.
• It authorizes Slack & Team integrations and sharing of folders.
• There are no limits to the number of charts, maps, and tables you can manipulate.
• The free version exports only PNG formats, while The paid version exports PNG, SVG and PDF formats.
• Live updating allows you to adjust your charts without republishing.
• Mainly created for students, individuals and journalists.
• Datawrapper can work with any operating system.

Pros

• Datawrapper automatically saves changes you make.
• It uses any scripting language.
• Data visualizations can be unpublished at no cost.
• Sending style guides to Datawrapper will authorize them to design a custom chart theme for you.

Cons

• The free version adds Datawrapper labels to each data visualization.
• The free version cannot be adjusted for your specific use.
• The paid version is quite expensive.

Pricing

• Free – allows only one user license
• Custom plan – $599 per month
• Enterprise plan – Cost is set when interested users discuss with Datawrapper’s sale team.

Plotly

Best Data Visualization Tool for Python

Plotly is an open-source data visualization tool that conveys standard scientific data into web applications and interactive graphical data. It can run programming languages, including Python programming language.

The paid Plotly version allows users to create charts, share and upload the data visualization URL. However, free users have to code before creating charts.

Features

• Plotly express for data exploration and Plotly Dash for complete control of the visualization component and features.
• It features model support for dashboards and proper reports.
• It is Python language friendly.
• It enables users to leverage their community and learn with other Plotly users.
• It merges your analytics products.
• It allows Domain-specific language synchronization such as Falcon.
• It provides sufficient training on how to use Plotly many services
• It possesses artificial intelligence.

Pros

• Collaboration is feasible because you can add several users to your workflow.
• It offers solutions for multiple data communication problems.

Cons

• Plotly is hard to learn.
• You have to download Plotly offline or on cloud servers to start visualizing.

Pricing

• Free
• Paid Plotly is available on request

Google Charts 

Best Free Data Visualization Tool

Google Charts is an online data visualization tool that digests multiple data into interactive visualization ready for embedding. Their versatility with HTML5 and SVG enables users to encode and control charts without needing additional plugins.

How To Create Chart Or Graph On HTML CSS Website | Google Charts Tutorial

Features

• It animate changes made to charts.
• It can draw more than one chart on a page.
• It has rich in interactive charts template.
• It loads on all browsers.
• It adopts VML for older IE versions.
• It is Javascript based.
• It comes with several supporting notes/tutorials are on the website.
• It connects with various data forms.

Pros

• It is popular amongst data visualizers and has a lot of tutorials on the web.
• Google Charts can connect data in real-time using various data connection tools and protocols.
• It works well with cross-browsers.

Cons

• It requires a network connection.
• There is limited support outside of the tutorials.

Pricing

• Zero cost to users

Microsoft Power BI 

Best Data Visualization Tool for Businesses

Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence-focused data visualization software that unifies 5 features to turn data into understandable graphics. Power BI automatically reads data and visualizes the pieces of information in plain, customizable charts.

Power BI is a product of Microsoft, and works on desktops and mobile devices. 

Features

• It is a cloud-based and on-premise-based data tool.
• It conveys order-centered information.
• It is easily navigated.
• It offers several ready-made designs.
• It is regularly updated with tutorials.

Pros

• It troubleshoots very fast.
• It present clear facts about business trends.
• It permits you to control who sees your reports.
• It can import from any data source.
• Microsoft Power BI is affordable.
• It helps businesses to match roles in various business projects.

Cons

• Microsoft Power BI doesn’t handle complex table data easily.
• It is almost impossible to integrate large data files.
• The user interface is crowded.
• Only authorizes data to be shared with the exact email domains or emails listed on their office 365 tenant.

Pricing

Microsoft Power BI offers four packages;

1. Desktop is free for everyone.
2. The Pro plan is $9.99 per user for a month and is free for businesses that bought Microsoft 365 E5 solution.
3. Premium per user costs $20 per user per month.
4. Premium per capacity starts at $4,995 per month.

Dashthis

Best Social Media Data Visualization Tool

Dashthis is a web-based data visualization tool with a focus on marketing. Its ability to organize different marketing data insights into an understandable dashboard differentiates it from other data visualization tools.

Dashthis allows users to integrate data from multiple social media platforms and view social media metrics.

Features

• It is a cloud-based reporting solution.
• It can automatically sync insights updates from chosen integrated social media platforms.
• This tool provides an organized page for visual data summary.
• Dashthis allows users to add a personal touch to dashboards.
• It leverages CSV file for data importation.
• It allows users to share dashboards in PDF format or as URLs.

Pros

• This tool is easy to use.
• Data integration is fast on Dashthis.
• It posses great reporting capability.
• It is very flexible & functional.
• Dashthis saves users time spent on manual imputation of data.
• This tool secures users privacy.

Cons

• Some widgets will encounter major issues that will force you to start your widgets from scratch.
• Frequent bug issues.

Pricing

Dashthis attached 4 tiers of prices to their service, each with its unique option for users and a different number of dashboards. All tier includes a 10-day free trial which will not need you to fill out any credit card form.

• Individual tier price gives buyers access to 3 dashboards, costing around $33/mo and $72/yr.
• The Professional tier starts from $109/mo to $240/yr. This Dashthis tier gives buyers access to 10 more dashboards.
• Their Business tier price is the most popular amongst Dashthis products. Its cost starts from $209/mo to $480/yr.
• The Standard tier is their last service. It demands an amount ranging from $339/mo to $720 and offers 50 dashboards!

Piktochart

The Best Data Visualization Tool for Content Creators

Piktochart does not require users to understand coding or graphic design. It is a straightforward tool that can display insights on curves, maps and charts through videography.

The app presents data insight and outliers via interactive diagrams, which can be printed or shared digitally. Their versatile nature helps bring students and team members onboard with digestible visuals.

Features

• Piktochart curates highly communicative and presentable images.
• It provides users with several designed templates.
• Piktochart assists users in securely managing their content.
• This tool offers users collaboration tools.
• It has a drag and drop editor function.
• It authorizes users to edit their visualizations.

Pros

• Infographics on Piktochart are professionally attractive.
• This tool supports video embedding and importation.
• It offers copy-right free content.
• It provides vast amounts of templates library

Cons

• It only supports the English language.

Pricing

 Three pricing options and a discount for annual payment

• The free option has limited access to Piktochart’s visualizations.
• Lite monthly option is popular amongst start-ups and starts from.
• Piktochart Pro is recommended for corporate users.

Visual Techniques Used in Demonstrating Raw Data

These data visualization techniques can relay raw data via dashboards, annual reports, sales and marketing materials, investor slide decks, etc. They facilitate quick communication. Some techniques are:

• Histograms
• Charts
• GraphsBox-and-whisker plots
• Infographics
• Maps

Buyer’s Guide for the Best Data Visualization Tool

When picking a data visualization tool, there are a few factors you should ensure the tool contains. Some of the most critical factors you should check are:

Use

You first need to consider how the tool majorly interprets data. Presentation graphics are proofs, while exploratory graphics provide insights into the result’s mechanics.

Most data visualization tools illustrate data in both ways, but it is best if you check.

The Intelligence of Your Audience

The purpose of your data insights should be clear to your audience. When choosing a data visualization tool, choose one that will display easily understood graphics with minimal visual bloat. 

Type of Data

Data must be imported or coded into a data visualization tool for it to provide data insights results. Data could come in CSV files, PDF files and others. It is essential to check if the data visualization tool you want to purchase can import the type of data you regularly visualize.

Frequently Asked Questions on Data Visualization Tools.

Bottom line

When searching for the best data visualization tool, put your audience at the front of your mind. Think of which data visualization tool will clearly represent your data whilst avoiding visual bloat. 

You can use the visualization elements of our best free data visualization tool (Google charts). It provided only the necessary features for both basic and complex visualization.

Dashthis is also a beneficial tool for social media managers. It contains all the necessary elements to strike understanding amongst team members and shows the overall worth of your data. 

The simpler the tool is, the better. Datawrapper is our best data visualization tool for beginners. It is packed with essential elements, which rank it as the best choice for persons new in the process of visualizing via software assistance.